Locking mechanism for doors



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J. B. O'CONNDR 1 LOCKING MECHANISM vFOR DOORS Filed June 19, 1920 3 shgts-sheet l (f mam Y J. B. OCONNOR I LOCKING MECHANISM FOR DCORS Filed June 19, 1920 3 sheets-sheet 2 mmzmwzs J. B. O'CONNOR Locxme MECHANISM FOR Do Rs Filed June 19, 1920 Patented Mar. 20, I923).

oNrrso STATES PATENT @FPHCE.

JOHN B. OCONNOR, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LYON METALLIC MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

LOOKING MECHANISM FOR DOORS.

Application filed June 19, 1920. Serial No. 390,127.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I. JOHN B. OCoxxon, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Au;

My invention relates to door locking mechanism and is especially useful in connection with cabinets, lockers and similar structures. One of the objects of my invention is to provide a structure having a self latching liftable latch with locking mechanism so constructed that the lock proper may be set in locked condition and the key withdrawn prior to the closing of the door, after which the closing of 'the door will automatically cause the latch to take hold and thereafter prevent the door from opening. Another object is to provide locking mechanism having a handle slidably mounted on the'door for releasing the latching mechanism and locking mechanism, carried on or movable with the handle. Another object is to provide a structure in which the latch is gravity operated and movable vertically and the lock includes a rotatable element having a locking arm or lever, the free end of the arm riding upon a ledge or bracket and the parts so arranged that a rotation of the plug in a direction to unlock the door tends to lower the free end of the arm. whereby the operator, by exerting a moderate rotary force on the key, will tend to lift the latch. Another object is to provide a structure in which there is a plurality of liftable latches spaced at intervals and operated from a common bar wherebv the door may be secured at a plurality of points, and the latches released by a liftable and lockable handle. Still another object is to provide a sheet metal door and door frame, the door frame having an integral. countersunk stop strip to enable the front of the door to come flush with the front of the frame, thus rendering it difficult if not impossible to insert a prying tool for forcing the door open. In

this connection, a further object of the invention is to provide slots in the countersunk stop strip, which slots receive the latching members, and'thus enabling them to engage portions which are integral with the door frame itself.

I accomplish myobjects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Y Figure 1 is an assembly view in perspective. showing the door partly open;

Figure 2 is a view from the inside of the door; I

"Figure 3 is a vertical sectional-view on the line 3-3 Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan section on the line 4-et Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a plan section on the line 5-5 Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation on the line 66 Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a plan section showing the countersunk stop strip of the door frame, together with one of the slots therein and the associated latch and related parts;

Figure 8 is a vertical section on the line S8 Figure 2;

Figure 9 is a vertical section on the line 99 Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a front view of the lock proper and the associated portion of the handle;

Figure 11 is a plan section on the line 1l-11 Figure 9;

Figure 12 is a sectional view on the line 99 Figure 8, but showing the locking arm in unlocked position.

Figure 13 is a perspective View of one of the latches, this particular sample having the arm overlying the lift pin, by which all of the latches may be lifted;

Figures 14: to 17 are perspective views from the inside of the door, showing the locking parts in various positions.

Like numeralsdenote like parts throughand sufficiently countersunk to permit the.

surface of the door to come flush with the front of the main structure. This stop strip a has a number, for example three, slots 6 ably gravity-operated and their front edge is beveled to enable them to ride up over thelower edges of theslots as the door. closes.

-' with a flange 12 which is offset from the ex--, tremeedge a distanceequal to the width of where.

adapted to receive the latches 8. These latches are vertically movable and prefer- When the door is fully closed, the latches which are'notched on their under side, drop down and engage, the metal at the lower ends of the slots. The door, which is here shown to be of sheet metal, is reinforced by internal flanges 10 at top, bottom and hinged margin. At the free edge it is provided thecountersunk stop strip. The construction is illustrated in Figures 14, 16, and else- This formation at the free edge of the door not only produces a rigid construction, but the flange 12 also forms aibacking or guide for the vertically'slidable latch bar 14. This bar by preference, extends throughout the greater portion of the height of the door, and the latches 8 previously mentioned, are fastened to it. The bar is held in place by headed pins 15 fastened to the inside of the flange 12 and working in slots 16 in the latch bar, as shown in detail in Figure 6.

In practice, the bar is lifted by means of a lift pin 18, best shown in Figures 2,8, 9, and 14to 17. slot 20 in the door to the underside of a lifter arm 21 rigidly fastened "to." the latch bar'and by preference for'mingan integral part of one of the latches, as shown in perspective in Figure 13...; The lift pin is rigidly fastened to a plate 22 which forms part 'of the handle 24: as shown on asomewhat increased scale and in section, in Fig. 8. The plate is guided in any suitable manner, for

, example. headed pins 26, the heads whereof lie against, the inner surface of the door and the shanks whereof work in the vertical slots 27. A portion 28 of the handle is thickened to form asuitable mounting for the lock proper.

It is desirable for my purpose to employ.

a pin tumbler cylinder lock and as such locks are well known, it will be sufficient for the present purpose to say that the lock has a. cylinder 30 in which is mounted a rotatable plug 31 having a key hole 32 for the reception of the shank of a key 38. It will be understood that in looks of this type the key cannot be withdrawn except when the'plug is "rotated to locked position and the plug cannot be rotated except b the insertion of a properly formed key. X locking arm 34 is fastened to the inner end of the such manner that the arm rotates in parallel and adjacent to the inner surface of the door. This arm is enclosed within a housing 36 rigidly fastened to the inner side of the door. In the preferred construe access of a prying tool.

This pin projects through a plu in a p ane,

tion, this housing encloses the locking arm on all sides as shown for example, in Figure 2 and Figures 14 to 17. This guards against The locking arm is fastened to the rotary plug in such position that when the plug is in locked condition the locking arm will stand vertically upright as shown for example in Figures 8 and 14. The top of the housing overlies the upper end of the lockingarm so closely as to prevent it and the handle from rising. This prevents the handle from lifting the latches. When the plug is rotated and brings the locking arm to horizontal position, the latches may be lift;

ed. One of the peculiarities of my device is that by rotating the key still further after the locking arm has reached the horizontal position (shown in dotted lines in Figure 9 and in full lines in Figure 15) it will tend to lift the latches. This is due to the fact that its free end rides upon the bottom of the housing and as it cannot descend any farther, the rotation of the key tends to raise.-

the opposite end of the armand with it the plug and parts connected thereto. Figures 12 and 16 show in full lines the position the parts will assumejif the key is-thus additionally rotated. However, it is not necessary to rotate the key afterthe locking arm has reached horizontal position, for the operator may simply pull upward on the handle oi -"pull upward on the key without rotating it any farther. An experienced operator )Vlll frequently lift the latches by exerting both a rotary and an upward pressure of the key with or without the assistance of an upward pressure on the handle. This releases the door with very little effort. It may thus be saidthat the torque of the key after the parts are unlocked contributes in the elevating of the latch bar and latches.

To summarize the operation of the parts: If the locking bar 34 is in upright position, as it will be when the lock'is in locked position, it will prevent the rise of the handle by striking againstthe top of the housing and thus prevent the latch bar and latches from being lifted. To open the door the operator must first insert the key and then rotate the locking arm to unlocked position that is, to horizontal position or approximately so.

either by'pulling up on the handle or continuing to exert a rotary pressure upon the key or to pull upward upon the key, or a com bination of these pressures. If the door is open the key may be rotated to put the lock in locked condition and may be withdrawn prior to the closing of the door. If the door is then pushed shut the latches will first rise automatically and then drop into acting position,- after which the latches cannot again be raised from the outside of the The handle is then free to be lifted and this may be accomplished reams? locker except by first rotating the locking arm 34 to unlocked position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure byfLetters Patent is: y

1. Door locking mechanism having a latch mounted upon the door and movable with respect to .it, a handlev slidably mounted on the door for releasing the latch, and a lock .for preventing sliding movement of the handle, the lock being mounted in the handle and the latch being adapted to latch automatically as the door is closed and being movable independently of r'the handle to permit automatic latching regardless of the position of the lock prior to the closure of the door. I

2. Door locking mechanism having a gravity operated latch mounted upon the door and slidable vertically upon it, a handle slidably mounted on the door a d adapted ,to lift the latch for releasing the door, and

a lock for preventing the sliding movement of the handle, the lock being mounted in the handle and the latch being adapted to rise automatically as theldoor is closed and making. one-way engagement with the handle whereby the latch may rise as the door is closed regardless of whether the lock is locked or unlocked prior to the closure of rise as'the door is closed even though the lock is locked.

4. In door locking mechanism a liftable latch, a slidable handle for lifting the latch and a lock mounted on the handle for pre-. venting sliding movement of said handle.

5. In door locking mechanism a liftable latch, a handle vertically slidable on the door for lifting the latch, a rotatable locking arm for preventing movement of the handle,

' and a lock for controlling the position of said arm.

6. In door locking mechanism a liftable latch which is self latching, a slidable handle for lifting the latch, a lock mounted ,on the handle and including a rotatable plug, a locking arm fastened to the plug, and a stop on the door for preventing sliding movement of the plug and handle when the arm is in locked position,

7. In door.lockingmechanism in which the door is locked by a liftable latch which is self latching, the combination, with such latch, of a slidable handle for lifting the latch, a cylinder lock of the pin tumbler type mounted on "the handle, the lock having a rotatable .plug'mountedin the cylinder, a lockingarm secured to the plug and rotating with it, and a stop on the door for preventing sliding movement of the plug and handle when said arm is in locking position, said latch being capable of rising independently of the remainder of the locking mechanism, whereby the locking arm may be placed in locking position either prior or subsequent to the closing of the door.

8. In door locking mechanism, thecombination of a door, a door frame having slots, a vertically movable locln'ng bar mounted on the door, a plurality of bevel nosed latches mounted upon the bar in spaced relation, said latches being adapted to enter the slots in the door frame for engaging,

it at a plurality of points, a vertically slidafor lifting the latch bar, and a lock mounted on the handle for preventing movement thereof, the bar being vertically movable independently of the handle, whereby the bar and latch may rise automatically as the noses of the latches enter the slots of the door. frame thus permitting the door to close and; the latches to take effect even though the lock be inlocked conditionv before the door is closed.

9. In door locking mechanism in which the door is locked by a liftable latch, a slidable handle for lifting the latch, a lock mounted on the handle and including a rotatable plug, a locking arm fast ned to the ble handle mounted on the front of the door plug, and a housing rigidly fa ened to the inside of the door for preventing access to the arm, one portion of the housing consti-' tuting a stop for engaging the end of the arm to prevent the lifting of the handle and latch.

10. In door locking mechanism in which the door is locked by a liftable latch, a slidable handle for lifting the latch, a lock mounted on the handle and including a to tatable key-operated plug, a locking arm fastened to the inner end of the plug, and

a shelf rigidly secured to the door beneath the arm, the free end of the arm tending to descend when the plug is rotated in a directionito unlock the door whereby the rotary movement of the plug and arm tend to raise the plug, handle and latch.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOHN B. OCONNOR. 

